Rotary engine.



No. 797,093. PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905. L. S. BELLAH.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1905.

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L. S. BELLAH.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14. 1905.

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L. S. BELLAH. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 14. 1905.

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S w n r O t t A PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905.

L. 'S. BELLAH. ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1905.

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lFVZJIfiZZQ/Z Inventor Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

LEVI S. BELLAH, OF ROGERS, ARKANSAS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed June 14, 1905. Serial No. 265,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI S. BELLAH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rogers, in the county of Benton and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Rotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to rotary engines.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a rotary engine in which the steam or other actuating fluid may be used expansively and economically and provide automatic cutoffs which operate with certainty after the piston has traveled a certain proportion of its stroke under boiler-pressure.

A further object of the invention is to pro videa rotary engine having a revoluble steamchest and to combine with said steam-chest an annular piston-rod which serves also as a valve for controlling the admission of steam to the cylinders or expansion-spaces and to cut off the steam at a predetermined point.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an engine in which the piston-rod is provided with a movable abutment that travels step by step around the cylinder, stopping atintervals to form afixed wall of the expansion-space.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction of rotary engine, including a revoluble piston and a revoluble piston-ring, in which both the piston and the rod are provided with piston members and with abutment members, the abutment of one and the piston member of the other forminga pair of cooperating. members and said pairs of members operating alternately, one to transmit movement to the main shaft and the other to adjust the piston-rod and its abutment to a new position after each of such operations.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the in vention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a rotary engine constructed in accordance with the invention, the

piston-rod and abutment being stationary and the main piston being at abouthalf-stroke and moving under the expansive force of the steam or other fluid. Fig; 2 is a similar View showing the main piston at full stroke just prior to the exhaust of steam from the main expansion-chamber and showing the position of the valve in admittingsteam to the secondary expansion-chamber. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the engine on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the engine on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of the piston-rod and the parts carried thereby, showing also a portion of the main piston members.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The cylinder proper is formed of two main sections 10, united by transversely-extending bolts 11. The sides of the cylinder are provided with removable heads 12 and small central disks 13, the latter being spaced from each other for the reception of the main piston-disk 14:, and to the latter is secured a main shaft 15, which will extend out through openings in one or both of the disks 13.

The opposite sides of the piston-disk 1a are provided with annular grooves for the reception of annular flanges 16, carried by the spaced disks 13, and in the periphery of each of the disks 13 is an annular groove for the reception of a metallic packing-ring 17 in order to prevent the passage of steam from the sides of the piston-disk outward into the annular space 19, that is formed immediately around the periphery of the piston-disk, the three disks 13, 13, and 1 1 forming the inner Wall of said annular space. The opposite sides of the main piston-disk 1 1 are provided with annular grooves 20, and facing these are annular grooves 21, formed in the inner faces of the disks 13, the two sets of grooves forming two continuous annular steam-passages on opposite sides of the piston. Leakage of steam is prevented by recessing the adjacent faces of the side disks and piston-disk for the reception of annular packing-rings 22. Leading to these annular steam-passages are passages 23, formed in the cylinder-heads, and the upper ends of the passages 23 communicate with passages 24, to which steam is suplied through a pipe 25, and the latter may be provided withasuitable throttle-valve of any ordinary character.

Rigidly secured to the piston-disk 14 is a segmental steam-chest 26, approximately circular in cross-section, as indicated in Fig. 4, and of less diameter than the width of the annular space 19, in which it travels. This steam chest is connected to the annular steam-passages on the opposite sides of the piston by a number of ports 28, (shown more clearly in Fig. 4,) so that steam will be supplied to the chest without regard to the position of said chest. At one end of the steamchest is a piston-wing 30, presenting a steam space of an area equal to the cross-sectional area of the annular space 19, and in said piston-wing is a packing-ring 31, fitting closely around an annular piston-rod 32, that extends also through the sterim-chest. Secured to or formed integral with the opposite end of the steam-chest is a segmental cylinder 33, that is approximately rectangular in cross section, as indicated in Fig. 3, one end of the cylinder being open and provided with an exhaust-passage 34, while the opposite end is separated from the steam-chest proper by a partition 35, having a packing-ring 36, that fits snugly around the annular piston-rod. These members that is to say, the pistondisk 14, the steam-chest 26, the piston-wing 30, and the cylinder 33constitute a unitary structure which receives a step-by-step movement from the influence of steam or other fluid acting against the face of the piston-wing 30.

At a point beyond the annular space 19 of the main cylinder is arranged an annular exhaust-space 38, through which exhaust-steam may freely flow to an outlet 39. The side walls of this space are provided with annular grooves 40 for the reception of segmental ribs 41, formed on the opposite sides of an abutment-carrying block 42, the cross-sectional contour of which is shown more clearly in Fig. 3, it being observed that the inner edge or face of the block is in alinement with the outer wall of the annular space 19. This block 42 is provided with a plurality of springpressed pawls 44, which engage the teeth of an annular rack 45, formed in the inner wall ,of the cylinder, the pawls holding the block from independent movement in one direction, While permitting free inovementin the opposite direction. To one end of the block 42 is secured an abutment 47 of a cross-sectional area corresponding to the area of the steamface of the wing 30 and corresponding also to the cross-sectional area of the annular space 19, and when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the piston-wing 30 forms one end of an expansion-chamber, of which the opposite end is formed by the abutment 47. The opposite side walls of this chamber are formed by the cylinder-heads, the inner wall by the disks 13 13 and 14 and the packingring 17, while the outer wall is formed partly by the cylinder and partly by the abutmentcarrying block 42. If steam, therefore, is admitted to this expansion-space, the abutment 47, being held by the paw-ls 44 from movement toward the right, the piston-wing 30 will be driven toward the left, or in the direction indicated by the arrow, and this movement will be communicated, through the piston-wing, to the steam-chest 26, the cylinder 33, the piston-disl 14, shaft 15, and the movement will continue until the piston wing passes beyond the end of the block 42, as shown in Fig. 2. When this occurs, the expansion-space isopened and the steam is al lowed to escape freely into the annular space 38 and thence pass to the exhaust 39.

The annular piston-rod is rigidly connected to the abutment 47, and said rod is hollow, as shown in Fig. 5, and is provided with a plurality of ports 50 51, which are normally closed by a slidably-arranged hollow valve 52, that is disposed within the rod, said valve being normally held in the closed position by a helical tension-spring 53. The rod is further provided with a normally opened port 54, and when this port passes within the hollow pistonwing 30 and is placed in communication withthe steam-chest steam passing through said port and striking against the solid end of the hollow valve will force the valve in the directionindicated by thearrow in Fig. 5 and open the ports 50.and 51, permitting steam to flow from the chest through to the interior of the valve and thence outinto the expansion-space, and the steam continues to flow until the piston-wing moving under steam-pressu re passes beyond the port 54,whereupon the steamis cut 011', and the steam admitted to the expansionchamber acts thereafter under expansion to complete the stroke, while the valve is restored to its closed position by a spring 53. It will be seen that the cutoff is apositive one and will act as soon as the piston-wing moves a predetermined distance. If the load is light. the wing will move quickly and will be operated under boiler-pressure for a short time. Under a heavy load the operation under boiler-pressure will continue through a longer period.

Secured rigidly to the annular piston-rod is a piston-wing 57, that fits snugly within the cylinder 33, carried by the piston-disk, and at a point adjacent to this piston-wing 57 the piston-rod ishollow and is provided with ports 50, which may be placed in alinement with the ports 51, carried bya movable valve 52', that is normally held closed by a spring 53 and is opened by the passage of steam through a port or ports 54 from the main steam-chest. So long as the ports are open steam continues to flow into the cylinder 33 between partition 35 and the piston-wing 57, and the latter will be forced in a direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l, carrying with it the annular piston-wing, the abutment 47, and the abutment-carrying block 42. At the end of the stroke the piston-wing 57 opens the escapeport 34 and allows the steam to exhaust. In

moving inthe'direction indicated by the ar row and continues to move and impart motion' to the ,main shaft until the .t'ace of the piston-wing passes beyond the end of the abutment-block 42, at which time the steam is free to exhaust into the annular exhaust-space. During this movement-the block 42 remains stationary, while the steam-chest and the cylinder 33 travel with the wing 30, so that the I partition 35 gradually approaches the pistonwing 57. As soon as the steam-port 54' is uncovered steam enters the hollow piston-rod and moves the valve 52 in order to admit steam from the chest into the cylinder 33 between the partition and the piston-Wing 57. This steam acts then between the partition and thepiston-wing; but the partition oifers the greatest resistance, owing to the momentum of the piston, the shaft, and usually the balance-Wheel, so that the piston-wing 57, offering the least resistance, must move and carry withit the annular piston-rod 32 and the abutment 47 and block 42, the latter beingreadjusted in readiness for another operation. As the annular piston rod 32 travels it again moves the ports 54 within the steam-chest and steam will again enter the expansion-space and, acting between the abutment 47 and the piston-wing 30, will throw the abutment back, the pawls 44 catching in the ratchet-teeth 45 and holding the block of the abutment from further movement, while the piston-wing 30 again starts another stroke.

While the steps o1 the operation have been described in their successive order, it is obvious that the movement is not abrupt. The rotation of the shaft is continuous and uniform, and the abutment 47 will in practice start its movement immediately after the piston-wing 30 passes beyond the end of the block 42.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a rotary engine, a revoluble piston, a piston-wing carried thereby, an abutment, an annular piston-rod carried by the abutment for locking the abutment from movement in one direction said piston-rod being provided with ports and forming a steam-inlet valve, a piston member carried by the rod, a cylinder carried by the main piston and into which said piston member extends, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder to force the piston-rod and abutment in the direction of the piston-wing.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a main piston, of a piston-wing carried there:

by, a steam-chest also carried by the main piston, amovable abutment, means for locking the same from movement in one direction, an annular piston-rod to which the abutment is secured, and a ported valve carried by said rod and servingw hen moved within the steamchest to permit the passage of steam to the space between the piston-wing and the abutment.

3. In a rotary engine,a revoluble piston, a hollow piston-wing carried thereby, a steamchest carried by the piston and in communication with the wing, an abutment, means for locking the same from movement in one di rection, an annular piston-rod secured to the abutment, said rod being hollow for a portion of its length and provided with ports, a valve arranged withinthe hollow portion of the piston-rod and also having ports, entrance of the ported portion of the rod within the piston-wing serving to permit the passage of steam from the chestto the expansion-space between the abutment and wing.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with a main piston, of a hollow piston-wingcarried thereby, a steam-chest carried by the piston, and in communication with the wing, an abutment, means for locking the same from move meut in one direction, an annular piston-rod secured to the abutment and having a ported valve-receiving chamber, one of the ports being normally open, a ported valve arranged within said chamber and normally closing the ports of the rod, the admission of the hollow portion of the rod to the steam-chest serving to permit the entrance of steam to within the valve, whereby the valve is moved to open position and the steam permitted to flow from the chest to the expansion-space between the wing and abutment.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a main piston,of a hollow piston-wing,a steamchest carried by the piston and communicating with said wing, an abutment, an annular piston-rod carrying said abutment, and chambered for a portion of its length, and a cut-0E valve arranged within the chambered portion of the rod and serving to control the flow of steam from thesteam-chest, movement of the ported portion of the rod from the wing serving to cut off the flow of steam at a predetermined point in the stroke of the piston.

6. The combination in a rotary engine, of a main piston, a hollow piston wing carried thereby, a steam-chest also carried by the piston and in communication with the wing, an abutment, an abutment-carrying block movable in an orbital path around the piston and serving as one wall of an expansion-chamber, a hollow piston-rod secured to the abutment and extending through the steam-chest, and a valve carried by the rod and serving to control the flow of steam from the chest into the expansion-chamber.

7 In a rotary engine, an eXpansion-cham her of which the two side wallsare stationary, the inner wall and one of the end walls forming a part of a continuously-movable piston, and the outer wall and opposite end wall forming an intermittently-movable abutment.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination with a main piston, of a hollowpiston-wing carried thereby, a steam-chest carried by the piston, and in free communication with the hollow wing, a cylinder also carried by the piston, and separated therefrom by a partition, an annular piston-rod passing through the piston-wing, the steam-chest, the partition and the cylinder, an abutment carried by said piston-rod and cooperating with the piston-wing, a piston member carried by the rod and arranged within the cylinder, and steam-inlet valves carried by the rod and serving to control the flow of steam from the chest first to the space between the piston-wing and abutment, and thence to the space between the partition and thepiston member.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination with a main piston, of a hollow piston-wing carried thereby, a steam-chest supported by the piston, annular steam-passages arranged at the sides of the piston, ports connecting said pasrod extending through the wing, the steam chest, partition and cylinder, a piston member carried by the piston-rod and-forming one wall of an expansion-chamber, the opposite wall of which is formed by the pistonwing, and means for preventing revoluble movement of the abutment in one direction.

10. In a rotary engi'ne,the eom-binati'onwith: a main cylinder having an internal rack, of a pair of cylinder-heads having annular grooves, an abutment-carrying block having ribs entering said groove, an abutment carried by the block, pivotally-mounted paw-ls carried by the block and engaging said annular rack,,a revoluble piston, a piston-wing carried there by, and means for admitting steam between the piston-wing and the abutment.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have heretoafiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEVI S. BELLAH.

Vtitnesses:

CHAS. JUHRE, ENNIS JUHRE. 

